Wedding Vows
by PurleLullaby
Summary: It's Jackie's and Hyde's wedding day, and one of them has cold feet. Strangely enough, it's not the one you would first thought of. After season 8.


**A/N –** Hello everyone! Just yesterday I was in the middle of a chapter for my other story, and since Jackie and Hyde aren't a the best terms there, I needed some happy J/H moments. And so, this story emerged. There is a bit of angst, but I hope you'll enjoy it. :) And to all the readers of Unholy Union-the next chapter is coming in the next few days. :)

**Disclaimer - I don't own 'That 70s show'.**

* * *

**Wedding Vows**

„Man, it's not too late yet!" Eric informed his best friend. „Look… this window isn't too high. You could land relatively safely." He said while glancing out of the only foolproof escape.

„Nah, man." Hyde shook his head. „With my luck, I would probably twist an ankle and only make it easier for her to catch me and drag me back inside. Too much work for nothing."

„I can't believe this. It's like the final victory of the Dark Side."

„Shut it, dumb-ass. I'll give you dark side when I stick my foot so far up your ass you'll see black!" Red Forman warned his son, and then threateningly pointed at the groom. „Do something stupid and you won't be able to hide. I'll find you where ever you go and use that shotgun I cleaned this morning. I don't want to have Kitty nagging at me for the rest of my life if you mess this up! Understood?"

„Don't worry, Red." Hyde said with a smirk on his face. „Everything's cool."

Red visibly relaxed. „Well… good." He straightened his tie in a nervous manner before he neared his surrogate son and fixed his as well. When he was satisfied with his work, he looked at Hyde and reassuringly patted his shoulder. „You're doing the right thing."

„I know." Hyde responded quietly, with conviction that surprised even him. If five years ago someone had told him he will be in a church dressing room, waiting to get married, and to no other than Jackie Burkhart, he would have laughed and ran in the opposite direction. But now, as he stood in his three piece suit with a pink rose attached to his lapel, running couldn't be further from his mind. Sure, he was terrified shittles by the thought of tying himself for someone else forever, not to mention he was mad for succumbing to this meaningless institution created only for the profit of big profit-oriented corporations, but as soon as that thoughts became too much, he just thought about a girl in the room not too far away from this one. His girl. And if wedding was necessary to keep it that way, so be it.

„That's good." Said Kelso and interrupted his musings. „Can you imagine Jackie's rage if he bails?" He smiled goofy at the picture, only for his face to become deadly serious a moment later. „You won't pull off a Forman, will you?"

„Hey!" Eric rebelled. „Don't drag me into this! My name and his escape can't be used in the same sentence. Do you know what Donna will do to me if he runs off?" He shuddered on thought alone.

Hyde grinned at his best man. „Wanna see how long you'll be cut off?"

„Don't even joke about it, man." Eric said, deadly serious. „She wouldn't let me touch her for a week just as a warning."

Hyde snickered, and just as he was about to say something else, Keslo spoke once again, his face a mask of seriousness. „So you won't, right?"

„No, Kelso, I won't." The groom replied, annoyed at the fact that everyone seemed suspicious of him.

Kelso's mask crumbled and he smiled his usual loony smile. „OK. But just so you know, if you change your mind, I'll be more than willing to comfort her afterwards. We all know how much Jackie loves when I comfort her!" Before he managed to say 'Burn', Hyde frogged him so hard that the force of the blow sent him a step back. „Hey, it's not my fault I'm good at it!" Kelso yelled while rubbing the abused spot.

And just as Hyde raised his hand to hit him again, Fez's scream halted his movements. „Not in the face!" The foreigner yelled. „Jackie will freak if you disfigure his beautiful head for the pictures!"

Hyde thought about it for a second and punched him in the shoulder once again, being careful to strike the same spot again. „And why does everyone think I will run off?" He asked irritably.

Eric raised an eyebrow, and as all four men in the room opened their mouths to speak, Hyde raised an arm to silence them before they even started. „Yeah, yeah. I get it."

„Hey guys." WB called as he opened the door. „The guests are seated and pastor Dave is waiting. Let's go." He ushered the groomsmen and Red out and looked at the groom and the best man. „Hurry you two. You can't let the bride waiting." After that, he closed the door and left Eric and his son alone.

„Are you sure about this?" Eric asked one last time.

„Yeah, Forman, I'm sure." Hyde said while looking straight at his friend, his eyes free of the usual blockade that shielded him from the world. Eric smiled widely and Hyde groaned.

„Crap. You look like you're going to hug me." Hyde grumbled. „Let's go." He said and tried to push Eric out of the room.

„You know me so well!" Eric exclaimed and embraced Hyde into a big bear hug.

„Dammit Forman! You're acting like a girl again!"

„I won't let you go until you hug me back." Eric warned and soon felt his friend returning the embrace, not missing the chance to quietly curse under his breath. The taller man smiled and took a step back. „I'm going to find Donna before the ceremony. See you inside." He said and exited the room, leaving Hyde to enjoy in the last quiet moments as a free man.

.

Jackie had been staring at herself in the mirror for the last fifteen minutes. Rich curls covered her shoulders, making a perfect contrast with the white wedding gown that clung to her upper body like a second skin, while the bottom part luxuriously danced around her as a sea of lace. Her make-up was flawless, and the maid of honor and the bridesmaids looked sensually gorgeous and simultaneously adoring in swaying, light pink dresses.

She wasn't surprised with the fact that everything looked beautiful, it was to be expected. What amazed her was, that after all the years she spent waiting for Hyde to kneel in front of her and make an honest woman out of her, after all months she spent planning this day to the smallest detail, she never felt more like running.

„Oh, honey, you look beautiful!" Kitty cooed around her soon to be daughter-in-law, her voice slightly trembling, partly because of the excitement, and partly for the tears of joy that threatened to spill out.

„Yes, Jacqueline darling, you look absolutely stunning." Her mother said while peeking in the mirror next to her, onehandedly pulling her dress a little lower to expose just a bit more cleavage, while a glass of champagne clumsily balanced in her other hand. „Stephan is a lucky man."

Jackie sighed. „It's Steven, mom."

Pam abruptly stilled her movements and detached her view from her reflection, for the first time actually looking at her daughter. „What happened to that other boy? The owner of that music store?" She sounded panicked. „William Barnett's son?"

Jackie felt her temper flaring and tears stinging at her eyes. It shouldn't come as a surprise that her mother wasn't capable of remembering the name of her future husband, even though she already knew the exact state of his bank account. And it didn't come as such. It hurt on a totally different level.

„That's him, mom. That's Steven." She said after a couple of impossible long moments spent in silence and busied herself with fixing her dress, unconsciously pushing Pam away from the looking glass and the reflection in it. When she finally couldn't see her anymore, she almost succeeded to ignore her mother's sigh of relief.

„You almost fooled me there for a moment." Pamela exhaled deeply, with the hand pressing on her chest and gulped the whole content of her glass. She carelessly pushed now empty cup in Brook's hand, ignoring her bemused look, took one more deep breath to calm her nerves from the short-term shock that Jackie could be marrying someone poor, and focused her view to the bride.

She smiled lovingly, with softness her elegant face rarely showed, and with infinite care spread the veil across her back. „Oh, this takes me back. It's like it was yesterday when your grandmother prepared me for my big day." She gently pushed Jackie's hair away from her face. „Only I look much better, might I say."

„Were you nervous too?" Jackie asked in great need to extend this uncustomary show of affection, her eyes dancing with joy as Betsy sprinted in front of her, enthusiastically swinging with a basket of rose petals. She actually laughed when Brook and Angie groaned as another batch ended flying around the room.

„At least we didn't name her the ring carrier." Donna said while laughing, joining the bridesmaids to catch the overly excited child.

„Of course I was nervous." Pam answered the question, plainly oblivious to the scene playing around her. „I was so worried something will go wrong, that we aren't meant to be, that we'll be miserable together. Never in my life was I so anxious as in that moment."

Jackie swallowed hard. „Then why did you go through with it? If you weren't sure?"

Pamela smiled. „Darling, every bride has that problem. It's called cold feet. And if you look at it, only half of them is right." Finally, she noticed her daughter's concerned look. „Oh, don't you worry. If something goes wrong, I have an army of damn good lawyers. They will skin him alive."

Jackie blinked as she felt shivers running down her spine.

„And just imagine, two of us as single girls, cruising the Caribbean's, with a margarita in one hand, and their money in the other." She giggled. „Just wait 'till I show you what's life."

Jackie's eyes watered and her face crumbled even more, her hand shooting to the mirror to hold her small form on her feet. She closed her eyes in hope it will stop the world from spinning.

Luckily, another older woman in the room noticed the obvious distress Pamela's words brought to Jackie and came to the rescue. „Pam, did you meet Steven's uncle? I've heard he's a dashing young man."

Pam's face illuminated with the prospect of meeting a rich man and she immediately forgot about the important mother-daughter pre-wedding conversation. „I didn't have the pleasure." She said on her way to the exit. „You don't need me anymore darling, do you? I should really find him and wish him welcome in the family. It's the proper thing to do."

Jackie sent a fake smile to her mother and spoke in a small, raspy voice. „Go." Luckily, Pam didn't need any more encouragements.

„I didn't know that WB has a brother." Brook said as soon as the door closed, her eyes scanning the floor in search for the flowers her daughter so helpfully slathered all around.

„He doesn't." Angie clarified the situation with a slight edge in her voice, while collecting some of the few undamaged rose petals from the ground.

Kitty smiled her usual nervous laughter. „He doesn't? I must have mixed him with someone else." She shrugged before turning to Jackie who was unusually quiet and beamed at her. „Don't you worry sweaty. I'll go after her and keep the champagne away. You just relax and enjoy in your special day. Everything is perfect and Red is keeping guard of the groom. He is not going anywhere." She smiled sweetly, completely unaware of the wrongfulness of her assumption about Jackie's nervousness and pressed a loving kiss to Jackie's forehead. „I knew my baby would do the right thing… eventually." Kitty said proudly to the beautiful women in front of her and hurried to find the older Mrs. Burkhart.

The woman in white barely noticed, spoken words just a incomprehensible noise in her ears, just like the bridesmaids whispering about plucking one of the church floral arrangements entirely escaped her attention. She was too busy with staring in the mirror, and all the important things she couldn't see there.

There wasn't a diamond tiara adoring her hair because Steven demanded from her to descend from cloud nine and accept the fact that she is not marrying into the royal family. Instead, a simple zirconium flower held her veil in place.

She wasn't clutching a paper with beautiful, emotional vows she alone wrote for her future husband. Steven refused to act like a girl, or Forman, in front of everyone, so now only her nails dug through the soft skin of her palm.

She couldn't hear a chirp of the white doves, since, obviously, the only things that birds represent is greed and consumerism of today's society and well hidden agenda of infamous dove breeders.

There were not wild mustangs waiting to take them to their honeymoon on Hawaii. There was no honeymoon at all. With Steven's work and her classes there was no time. There was just old, undecorated El Camino, without a single flower or a banner, waiting to take them to the party at Forman's after the ceremony.

And she wasn't in the big Hilton's dressing room, waiting to have her wedding in the big, crystal hall of the prestigious hotel. No, she was in the converted storage facility of the local Point Place church, staring at the cracked mirror, looking at the perfect picture that mercilessly shattered all around her.

She never felt more like crying.

„You look great Jackie." Donna's voice returned her to reality, and Jackie looked at her maid of honor, for the first time noticing that there are only two of them in the room.

„You too." Jackie said and coughed a little to remove the doubt from her voice. „You see how pretty you look when you dress like a girl? Now, if we could just correct that lumberjack posture…"

Donna rolled her eyes, but smiled in in spite of herself. There was no reason to think that Jackie will act differently on her wedding day, and a part of her was happy because of that. She had enough problems with overcoming the shock that Hyde was here, willingly, and that the news about his escape still didn't reach her. And for Eric's sake, she hoped he will keep it that way.

„So, how do you feel?"

Jackie smiled sadly and shrugged a little. „Strange."

Donna looked at her closely. „Strange good or strange bad?" When Jackie opened and closed her mouth a few times, but no sound came out, Donna continued. „If you're worried about Hyde, I told Eric that…"

„I'm fine." Jackie snapped and immediately felt bad. For lying and snapping both. „Could you just go and look for my dad? I can't walk down the aisle alone."

The maid of honor felt strangely compelled to stay by Jackie's side, but she shrugged off the unsettling feeling at the pit of her stomach and listened to the bride. „Okay. We'll be here in a minute." Donna hurriedly left the room, deciding to check up on Hyde along the way. You can never be too careful.

As soon as the 'click' sound confirmed that Donna closed the door behind her, Jackie rushed to the small table at the edge of the room, snatched Donna's bag from it and rapidly took her car keys and some money from it. She didn't have her own stuff with her, so she will have to pay her back when and if her best friend ever decide to speak to her again. After that, she carefully opened the door, and after making sure no one is there to see her, she dashed along the hallway to the back entrance and the parking lot at the back of the church. Her long dress and high heels stopped her from running as fast as she would like, but soon she found herself in front of Donna's red Toyota.

Her shaking hands clumsily fumbled with the keys, and Jackie cursed when she missed the lock for the third time in a row. Finally, she managed to open the door, and with much difficulty she succeeded to receive all layers of her wedding dress and tuck it in the car. Then, she quickly tried to come in as well, but harsh jerk on her hair stopped her movements. A quick look back revealed that her veil got stuck in the door handle, and Jackie cursed loudly when it wouldn't budge. „Dammit!" She yelled, tears running down her cheeks as she desperately tried to get it free.

„Need some help?"

Jackie's body froze at the sound of a familiar voice and she slowly turned her head, only to find Eric standing a few feet away, his cold eyes never leaving her. He looked royally pissed.

„Yes." She responded bitchily. „Go back inside and forget what you just saw." She said and quickly returned to her previous task.

„Yeah, I don't think so." He said as he closed the distance between them, his voice not faltering. „What are you doing?"

„This damn thing won't let go!" With each word her voice trembled a bit more, and she cried out when Eric grabbed her shoulder and turned to face him in one sharp movement.

„What are you doing?" He asked again, his uncharacteristically cold voice making her shiver.

Jackie pulled away from his grip and angrily wiped the tears from her face. „What does it look like?" She questioned irritably.

„It looks like you're running from your wedding." He gritted out. „And Hyde."

When Jackie didn't answer, but continued to stare at him, Eric shook his head. „I can't believe this. We were guarding the wrong one. And somehow, Donna will blame me for this." He whined.

Jackie rolled her eyes. „Just go."

„Oh, I'll go. With you by my side." He said and tried to take her hand, but Jackie just slapped his fingers away.

„I'm not going with you."

The best man squeezed his fist in irritation and looked for the words that will convince her to go back. The last thing he wanted was to drag her inside by the hair, no matter how appealing that thought looked at the moment. „You don't need to get married." He finally said. „But you have to talk to Hyde. You can't leave like this."

„You're the one to talk, Mr. Runaway." Jackie snapped, without any problems reminding him of the time he did the exactly same thing.

„That's not the same." Eric said shakily, his gaze never leaving the small girl. Was it possible that she couldn't see the difference? Eric was more than aware that what he did was bad, but this was wrong on so many levels. Different on so may levels. Why? Because Donna could take it, Hyde could not. His friend had a hard life; tenderness, love and respect were things no one ever showed him. Hyde was one of the most closed off persons he ever met, but despite that, Jackie somehow managed to get to him. Eric had no idea how, but Jackie managed to get him to feel something, to be happy. She loved him, and he loved her back, maybe not with complete reliance, but with the fullest of his capability. Hyde was painfully reserved and strongly shielded, but despite that, he knew that Jackie had the ability to wound him countless times more than he could Donna. Donna had the ability to recover, to forgive, to land on her feet. Hyde did not. Today was the proof of Hyde's absolute trust, and Jackie was on the way to throw it back at his face, this time breaking him without a chance for recovery. „Donna and I weren't ready and…"

„And Steven and I are?" Jackie interrupted him. „I can't even count all the times we tried this, and it never, ever worked. Why would this time be any different? We will only hurt each other in the end." Another tear escaped her before she managed to stop it. „That's what we always do. And I can't…" She choked. „… Eric, I can't go through it again."

Eric was silent for a moment as he watched her wipe her face. „You can't give up this easily."

„Easily?" Jackie smiled. „Nothing, absolutely nothing was never easy with the two of us."

„I know." Eric reasoned with her. „Trust me, I know. But leaving without a word isn't the answer and you'll be sorry in the end. This is just a classic case of cold feet, nothing more. Trust me, you will regret…"

„I will regret only if I stay!" She stopped his speech. „I'm doing this for the both of us. We are different, we want different things, we _need_ different things. Now, will you just stand there or will you save your friend from miserable life and help me with this damn thing?!" She shouted and tugged on her trapped veil.

„Yes Forman, are you going to help her?"

Jackie and Eric jerked their heads back, finding a terribly pissed off Hyde staring at them, looking like he was going to tear them both apart.

„Well, Forman?" He asked again. „Are you going to help her?"

„Hyde, it's not like that. She just got a little scared and just…"

„Wanted to run off." Hyde finished his sentence, blankly staring at Jackie, who was yet to speak. „You want to leave?" He asked her coldly, taking a hazardous step in her direction, not really noticing Eric who stood his ground between them. „Then leave!" He bawled at her, now completely closing the distance among them.

„Steven, please…"

„GO!" He snarled and a fraction of fear run over Jackie. She had seen him mad before, but this was beyond everything she could ever imagine. He was barely holding on his self control. She gasped as he received the trapped fabric and effortlessly ripped the laced veil in half, before he threw it in her face. „Now leave."

Jackie's voice was begging. „Don't… Steven, I didn't mean to…" She cried out, a prospect of losing him now too much to bare. „I'm sorry…" She cried. „Please…"

„Nothing is holding you back anymore." He told her easily, and she knew he wasn't talking about the veil.

„I just got scared… You know I love you…" He snickered, but she ignored it. „My mom scared me and…"

„I don't care!" He cut her off.

„Steven..."

„Get in the motherfucking car Jackie, or so help me, I'll put you in there myself!" She gulped. „GO!" He shouted one last time before turning away from her without a second glance. „To hell if I care." He muttered on his departure and Jackie fell to her knees, shamelessly crying her eyes out.

„Jackie…" She heard Eric calling her and grasping at her shoulders, but she shrugged him off. „Go after him. Don't let him do something stupid."

Eric was hesitant for a moment, but when Jackie pushed him away and wiped her eyes, he muttered a soft „I'm sorry." and ran after his best friend.

* * *

When Eric finally caught up with Hyde, they were walking down the same hallway which he passed when he followed Jackie on her way out. „Man, I'm sorry." He told him sincerely.

Hyde shrugged, his gaze fixed straight ahead. „I'm not."

„Hyde…"

„What?" He snapped at him, and Eric was hesitant to continue.

„Do you want to talk?" He asked him awkwardly, knowing full well how his friend felt towards that.

„No time." Hyde responded quickly. „Things to do, a wedding to cancel."

„Maybe if you give her a chance to explain…"

„I don't need explanations." Hyde cut him off. „I'm happy this happened. Forman, man, I almost got married. Marriage and I don't work." He explained. „I should have learned the first time."

„That's not the same." Eric said quietly.

„Yeah? What's the difference?"

The skinny man was quiet for a few moments. „This is Jackie. It's always different with her."

Just as he said it, the two men stepped into the church, drawing gazes of all people who impatiently waited for the ceremony. Eric stopped for a moment, but Hyde's step never stalled. „Hyde, you don't have to do this. I'll take care for this." He wanted to spare his best friend of this, no one should be canceling his own wedding in front dozens of people.

Hyde confidently walked toward the altar, noticing Kelso and Fez waiting for him there, just like pastor Dave who smiled reassuringly to him. „No." He finally said to Eric, avoiding the gazes of Mr. and Mrs. Forman, who sat in the first row and obviously noticed that something was wrong. „I want to make sure it's done myself."

Eric wanted to say more, but before he got a chance, they were standing in front of the altar.

„Steven, finally." Pastor Dave greeted him. „We were concerned that something happened."

„We thought you ran away." Fez filled them in and Hyde felt his stomach convulsing.

„Yeah, about that…"

„Now we just wait for the bride. We always have to wait for them, don't we?" The pastor asked the guys who looked strangely at him.

„Not this time." Hyde stated, seemingly calm.

„I see." Pastor Dave said with a soft smile and confused the Zen-guy. But before Hyde got a chance to respond, the murmur in the church stopped and the music started to play. Next, unmistakable sound of high heels banging on the stone floor reached his ears and he turned just in time to see a completely confused Donna running down the aisle. Fez and Keslo took their places as the groomsmen next to Hyde, seeing nothing wrong with the picture in front of them.

„Why am I running?" Breathless Donna asked as soon as she reached her spot, staring alternately at Eric and Hyde. „What happened?"

Not sure how to respond, Eric was grateful when the first bridesmaid came running and found her place opposite to Fez, gasping for air. „What the hell happened?" She demanded. „I didn't practice this damn walk for 45 minutes yesterday only for this to happen!" Angie hissed at her brother, while he just stared at her in confusion.

„Here are my babes!" Announced Kelso and turned everyone's attention to racing Brook, who had a hard job holding the flower girl and the flower basket in her arms, while Betsy happily tossed the rose petals around them, behind them and over them. Surprisingly fast, she stood opposite to Kelso and with relief unloaded her cargo.

„This isn't going according to plan." She breathed hard, and fixed Betsy's small pink dress.

Eric looked at Donna before asking: „Is Jackie coming?"

The girls looked at him with a million questions in their eyes, but before they managed the respond, he noticed how pastor Dave lifted his hands and the sounds of clothes rustling and gasps filled the air. He turned around and found his answer; Mr. Burkhart led his only child down the aisle. Not knowing what to do, he turned his attention towards Hyde, only to find him staring straight at the officiant, not showing any signs of moving. Finally, he moved to his assigned spot next to the groom and waited for the scene to unfold.

The guests, friends and family of the newlyweds stared at Jackie in amazement. Her dark curls sensually bounced around her bare shoulders and back, perfectly framing her beautiful face. The gorgeous, white wedding dress in real princess style perfectly seesawed with her every step, and big, but a simple bouquet of pink roses finely completed the picture of the perfect bride. She was in the center of attention, she knew it, but strangely enough, she didn't care. She didn't care that she had no veil and that her hair was slightly tousled on the place from where she ripped the flower clip out from it. She didn't bother herself with the fact that her tears ruined her makeup and that she had to wipe her entire face while she rushed back inside, leaving only her lipstick on. She didn't panic when she found a gray stain on usually brightly white dress, right on the spot where her knees touched the ground when she fell down. She just didn't care. The only thing that mattered was that the man of her life had his back turned on her the entire time, not bothering to face her even for a second. Every hope that he will grace her with at least a look faltered when they came to the center of the aisle and his rigid shoulders and squeezed fists came into her view. He was mad. Jackie swallowed a sob of anguish and stared at his back, hoping he could feel everything she wanted, needed him to know.

Suddenly, her father drastically slowed his motions and tugged on her hand, soundlessly asking for her attention.

„Dadday, what are you doing?" She asked as they continued to move slower than she thought was possible.

„Are you trying to punish me?" He whispered at her. „Because now would be a damn good time to stop this."

„What?" She asked, astonished.

He motioned towards Hyde with a movement of his head. „You can do so much better. Please, Kitten, we can turn around right now and leave all of this behind." He practically pleaded her.

„No. What are you talking about?"

„I know I wasn't the perfect father, and that I should have done a lot more and a lot sooner, but this isn't a way. Don't make me do this."

„I love him." She whispered in one breath, fighting hard to keep her emotions at bay.

„Look at him." Jack Burkhart instructed. „This isn't a man who loves." He swallowed harshly. „Don't make the same mistake your mother did."

.

Hyde's view jumped over the bridesmaids and the groomsmen, across the maid of honor and the best man, hoping that their faces could tell him what is happening behind him. His pride didn't allow him to turn around and see for himself, but a part of him, a small part of him that still kept him in place and didn't allow him to leave, needed to know. He knew when Jackie came in, and everyone's faces discovered what he already knew-she looked beautiful. Soft smiles convinced him of her gracefulness, and Kelso's small whistle confirmed that she was hot. But now, as their faces fell, and concern filled their features, he didn't know what to think. It's not like he wanted to marry her, not after everything what happened today, but damn, the uncertainty was killing him.

„What's going on?" He silently asked Eric.

„Why don' you turn around and look!" Donna snapped at him, the anger for his actions filling her being. „Jerk." She threw at him as loudly as the situation permitted, and it was Fez who finally cleared the situation for him.

„Uuuuh… Mr. Burkart doesn't like you, does he?"

„I'm pretty sure he hates him, buddy." Kelso helpfully clarified the scene for his foreign friend, and Hyde didn't need to hear any more. If that old jackass wanted to take her away, so be it. It's not like he actually planned to go through with the ceremony.

.

Jackie obeyed her father and looked at Hyde. And she knew that her father was right. The man who stood tall, with his back on her, wasn't the man who loved.

It was the man who hurt. Because of her. And even though the easiest thing to do would be to listen to her father and run, she decided against it. Steven had many experiences with people who disappointed him and left him afterwards, but he was yet to sense what it's like when someone fights for him and despite everything sticks by his side.

„Steven is not like you." She strongly contradicted her father. „And if you can't do this for me, I'm more than capable to walk alone."

Jack nodded and reluctantly extended his step, finding himself facing the groom's back a lot sooner that he was prepared to. The clear sign of disrespect and indifference irredeemably infuriated the older man, and the only thing restraining him from leaving was Jackie who strongly and somewhat childishly squeezed his arm.

„Who gives this woman to be married to this man?" Pastor Dave asked.

„Her mother and I." Her father responded apathetically and handed his daughter's hand to Eric, who took over the groom's duty and came for the bride. Eric watched as Jack hugged his daughter before leaving to stand by his ex-wife, and he encouragingly led Jackie to her place beside Hyde, sadly noticing that he still refused to look at her. He smiled at her and allowed the minister to start the ceremony.

„Hallo everyone. My name is Dave, and I will be marrying this young couple today."

Jackie looked at Hyde with tears in her eyes, soundlessly begging for at least a small sign of mercy. When he refused her without a single word or a gesture, Jackie turned her look away and tried to focus her attention on pastor's words. It didn't really work, and before she knew it, the next words were spoken: „And now, Jackie and Steven will exchange their holy vows. Please, face each other. And prepare the rings. " The minister instructed them, and the longest seconds of her life passed as Hyde slowly turned towards her, his eyes still avoiding her like the sight of her alone will burn him.

„Steven, repeat after me."

„No!" Jackie spoke quickly, fearing of the moment she knew was coming, and firmly decided to avoid it for as long as possible. „Can… can I go first?"

„Uuhh… Well, it is a little unusual, but I guess it can't hurt to modernize the ceremony a little. I'm nothing if not in step with time." Pastor Dave grinned. „Jackie, repeat after me." When she nodded, he continued. „I Jacqueline, take you, Steven, as my husband, and vow to be mindful in our journey together…"

Jackie's voice uncontrollably trembled as she tried to pour all of her love and desperation for him in those simple words. „I Jacqueline, take you, Steven, as my husband, and vow to be mindful in our journey together…"

The pastor continued. „..to love you and to cherish you, to trust in the Universal soul, to have belief in my heart and faith in my mind."

Jackie's voice failed her for a moment, and she had to cover her mouth to silence the sob that escaped her. Not being able to stand her pain, Hyde finally looked at her, and Jackie's heart fluttered with hope. „..to love you and to cherish you, to trust in the Universal soul, to have belief in my heart and faith in my mind."

„From this day forward our souls will be as one." The minister finished.

Jackie took the ring that Eric offered to her, and softly, with ultimate care, received Hyde's hand. Slowly, not taking her eyes from his, she slid the ring on his finger. „From this day forward our souls will be as one." She repeated and held his hand, intertwining her fingers with his, smiling happily when he returned the gesture, deepening their contact.

„Steven, repeat after me." Pastor Dave interrupted their connection, and Hyde broke their eye contact to look at the ring that now adored his finger. „I Steven, take you, Jacqueline, as my wife, and vow to be mindful in our journey together…"

With every second that passed without a sound of his voice, Jackie could physically feel a chunk of her heart being ripped out of her chest. „Steven?" The minister questioned and unpleasantly shifted his weight from foot to foot.

Hyde looked at Jackie once again, and she felt what was about to happen before the event itself. „Steven…" She breathed out, helpless to do anything but watch as he violently took off the ring she put there a moment before and pushed it roughly back in her hand.

„Screw this." He cursed as gasps filled the space around them. „You're an idiot." He accused her, not yielding as she bowed her head, in what he assumed was acceptance. „I am not here with you because of the big party, the fancy clothes, the good food, the cake, and the gifts. I'm here because I want to marry you."

Jackie's head rose back up. „Want?"

„Can it, Jackie!" He silenced her again before continuing. „And nothing and nobody could convince me in something else." He waited for Jackie to nod. „You know how this will go? I will disappoint you and you will disappoint me. That's just how it is. And I will hurt you and make you cry. I can't change that." His face softened and he closed the distance between them, surprising her when he wiped her tears with the pads of his thumbs and framed her small face between his palms. „But, I swear, I will feel like shit afterwards."

Jackie smiled softly and pressed her forehead against his, his skin acting like a soothing balm for her troubled mind. Hyde's eyes closed on their own accord and he breathed her smell in before he pulled away to look in her eyes again, immediately feeling bereft without her touch. „I promise that I am not marrying you secretly hoping that you will change, but because I wouldn't change a thing about you." He smiled when her face lit up. „I promise I won't keep secrets from you. If I ever wonder if I should tell you something, I will definitely tell you about it."

He received her hand and held her tightly, trusting her to calm his trembling. „I will stand by you when life throws invincible things at you. I would rather have my back against the wall with you, than be alone or with anyone else. And I will always, but always stand up for you and fight for you, even if you don't ask. And I will probably find other chicks hot, interesting or funny. But I would never give you up for someone else. You're it for me, doll."

Before he knew it, Jackie leaped into his embrace and attacked his lips with hers, desperately clutching at him and attracting him closer to her. Hyde smiled into the kiss, ignoring the protests around him, and deepened the kiss, holding her so close he could feel her heartbeat. He soothingly caressed her back and pressed a final kiss to her lips, feeling the need to say something else. „And I promise, I will never abandon you. Never."

„I love you." Jackie said when he showed no intent to continue. „So, so much."

„I love you too." He said silently and looked at her expectantly. „But, can you promise me the same?" Hyde asked with so much openness and vulnerability that her heart hurt, so she hurried to answer and return the smile on his face.

„Yes." She breathed. „Everything."

Hyde took the ring Eric held out to him and leaned it at the top of her finger, enjoying in her impatience. „Everything?"

„Yes, everything."

„Like, every single thing?"

„Yes." She answered, more than a little irritated by his teasing.

„Everything about secrets, cheating, disappointments?" He questioned further, smirking and plainly enjoying himself.

„Steven…" She warned him, her face taking a fine shade of red. „I said yes."

He lowered the ring to her first knuckle and stopped there, raising his brows to question her further. „And you will have sex with me at least once a day?"

Jackie's face glowed in incredible shade of crimson as she felt her face heating. Snickering and muffled laughing from her friends didn't help, and she was afraid to even look further down the aisle to see other peoples faces. „We're in the church, you pig!" She bit out, unsuccessfully trying to keep her dignity intact.

Hyde looked at the closely. „Is that a yes?"

„Steven Hyde, put that ring on my finger, or so help me God, you'll regret for not leaving when you had a chance!" She snapped at him.

„Yes dear." He said and slipped the ring down to its rightful place, unconsciously smiling and tracing the path it just passed.

Before he knew it, a matching jewelry was on his hand as well, and surprisingly to him, it felt like it always belonged there. He tightened his hold on Jackie and pulled her to him, desperate for her taste, her touch, her kiss.

„Wait!" Jackie interrupted him before his lips crashed against hers and turned towards pastor Dave.

„This just proves it man. As soon as you put a ring they lose all the interest." Kelso said and turned to Eric. „You're lucky you ran the last time." He told him and moved behind him as Donna's and Brook's grim gazes fell on him.

„Are we married now?" Jackie asked the minister.

Pastor Dave shook his head to clear his brain from all the offenses he just testified and finally smiled at the newlyweds. „I pronounce you husband and wife." He announced and Hyde didn't wait a second before he hugged his wife and went for the kiss. A loud „Wait!" halted his movements and he turned his attention to the priest.

„Now what?" He almost growled.

Pastor Dan coughed loudly and raised his hands in a big, overly dramatic gesture. „You may kiss the bride." He declared, and just as a sarcastic remark almost slipped through Hyde's mouth, Jackie kissed him hard, successfully clearing his mind of all annoyances.

A loud applause spread over the church, and as people around them neared to congratulate the new couple, Hyde pulled his bride closer, unwilling to share her with the others. As Jackie's body closed even the smallest distance between them, unfamiliar feeling warmed Hyde's body, a sensation he couldn't remember feeling ever before.

Peace.

Finally, Steven Hyde was at peace.


End file.
